13 Great Importance of Music in Indonesian Culture

Review by : Yuli SE., MM

Music is a sound arranged in such a way that it contains rhythms, songs, and harmony primarily from sounds generated from instruments that can produce rhythms. Although music is a kind of intuition phenomenon, to create, improve and present it is an art form. Music is a sound received by individuals or groups based on history, culture, location and tastes. Music and culture can never be separated. It is the part of culture itself. Here are the importance of music in Indonesian culture

1. A symbol of pride

Music is a symbol of pride in every region that gave birth to it. In Indonesia, there are traditional music that is born from certain tribes. For that reason why music can be a pride for local people. Merekan will preserve and sing the music as the pride of their area. That is why, music is importance for a culture in Indonesia.

2. Self-expressions

Music is a powerful emotional communicator. Examples where music affects our emotions are when we watch a movie scene accompanied by music. When we then see the same scene without music, it will clear the difference and it will be clear how the music communicates the feelings, the same as the dialogue or setting of the scene.
Feelings such as passion, sadness or joy can be expressed by variations and improvisations at the speed (tempo), the tone and the softness of a music is played. For example, music used in marching lines uses a fast, expressive tone that expresses passion. While the music that expressed sadness has a melodic tone.

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3. The accompany for cultural ceremony

At ceremonies of death, birth, marriage, and religious ceremonies, in some areas the sounds produced by certain musical instruments are believed to have magical powers. Here is the music plays important role in a culture. As the examples at a tribe, they would use some music accompanions to deliver the death people into second life. Music also believed as the media to send the soul into the second stage of life called barzah.

4. Entertainment

Music at the culture also functioned as the entertainment. The entertainment at the religion in Indonesia could be so various. As the examples, at the Javanese culture, music is used for accompanying Ketoprak, Ludruk, or Wayang. The tone of music express how the story sad, happy, or firm. If the story sad, the music will be slower. And so is with the song that sung by a siner called Sinden. Here is music take the important role in an entertainment together with the song.

5. Celebration

At the culture, music also takes an important role in a celebration. The people in Indonesia, such as while celebrating a village birthday or someone’s birthday, there would use music as the accompanying composer of singing. Celebration is a good and happy moment where the music would be played in a happy tone. The simple example is while the people have a special event such as birthday party, they would use music to accompany their singing in supporting their event of party.

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6. Media education and art learning

Music is also used for the media for education and art learning at school. The students at the school will be taught how to play instrumental music. They would learn music as the part of culture where they were born. They would also take a part in the preserving Indonesian music. As the example, the students in Central and East Java would be taught how to play gamelan. It is not compulsory subject at school, but it is recommended lesson to take at school.

7. Cultural information media as well as communication

Music is a sound arranged in such a way that it contains rhythms, songs, and harmony, especially sound produced from tools that can produce sounds. Music is part of art. Music as a medium of communication in question here is the use (used). For example, while parents sing a nina bobo song when their child goes to sleep. Here us the role of music for communications.

8. Media accompaniment of cultural ceremonies

The function of local music is as accompanist and completeness in the customary event such as godang (Tapanuli) which is used on batak traditional occasion, music of gong luang (bali) which is used at the ceremony ngaben, dodou rock music (Tanah Siang, Barito Utara, Kalimantan) type of ritual music while bathing the baby or giving baby names. In some areas of music even functioned as a medium of welcome, prayer, repellent of black magic, even as a tool of calling the spirit of the ancestors.

9. Media motivator or encouragement and others

Music reflects the culture of its supporting community. In the music contained values and norms that are part of the process of cultural enculturation, both in the form of formal and informal. The music itself has a distinctive form, both from a structural point and its kind in culture. Similarly, what happens to music in the culture of Malayan society. Motivation is the driving force of our desire to materialize. The driving force from within to make whatever we want can be realized. Motivation is closely related to desire and ambition, if one does not exist, no motivation will arise.

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10. The media for da’wah (spreading Islam religion)

Music serves to placate the mind and burden of humanity (basyariyah) and improve the nature of sweetness. It is a stimulant to see divine secrets. There are messages of da’wah in the lyrics – song lyrics that can be used as a means of preaching. The effectiveness of music can be heard by anyone, anytime and anywhere. Song lyrics in the da’wah use language that is light, simple, easy to understand and memorized.

11. The thanksgiving expression

In some cases music is also used as the media of thanksgiving. We can take the example from the Asmat community who used music to be grateful of something. The Singing Party of Sagu Feast is part of the Sagu Harvest Festival which the Asmat people used to do when they started harvesting their sago plantation.
This song is usually sung simultaneously with the dance which is also performed on the basis of an expression of gratitude towards the abundance of God’s blessings. As we know, sago is the staple food for most Papuans, including the Asmat. Therefore, sago has significance in the survival of the Asmat tribe and its existence is considered to be a gift from the Creator.

12. Military Ceremonies

Music is often featured in the Bhayangkara Wind Orchestra and of course state ceremonies such as Independence Day celebrations. Of course we will think the function of the Musical Corps in an armed forces and police. Sometimes it comes to the minds of many music lovers that it is often the quality of broadcasts and games that we see on national television when this event is less than satisfactory in our hearts. Yes, corps music is usually used in army and police in Indonesia.

13. The media of Praying

Music as a vehicle for the praise of liturgy / congregational praise is one aspect that has an important role in a process of worship. An aspect that tends to be overlooked by the church and / or some circles both from among the leaders of the community and the church itself. Similarly, the figure of a church musician (pianist / organist) who tends to be regarded as a ‘sticky object’ does not need to receive adequate attention in performing his / her role and role in the church.

Those are the important roles of music in Indonesian culture. Music is one of the culture that couldn’t be separated from our life. That is why music is always takes the great part of the Indonesian culture.

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